A Bittersweet Goodbye

As my time in Costa Rica seems to be winding down, I can't help but reflect on what an incredible adventure these past four months have been, and how much I've learned about myself, my peers, my family, and the world in general. My spanish has improved, my hair is out of control, our group is as close as ever, and my mindset has been shifted.
I've made it four months with the contents of one suitcase, and really cannot remember one time I felt like I was missing something. That's right, it's possible to live with only enough stuff to fill a suitcase. This is something new for me. Life in Costa Rica is simple, relaxed, and carefree. I feel as though I am living a dream. Life in the states is so centered around working, earning money, and buying new things. I hope that in my return to the states I can remember that there are people living, happily living, with far less things than me.

I guess the biggest lesson I've learned in Costa Rica is that the world is full of beautiful places, but in the end, it doesn't matter where you are or what you have, what matters most in life is who you have to share it with. Our relationships are what make life such an adventure. I'm so happy about all the incredible people, my classmates and professors included, that I've met through this program. Costa Rica would not have been the experience that it was if it wasn't for the incredible staff that created so many opportunities for us. I hope that I, as well as my classmates, have properly expressed how grateful we are for everything they have done for us.
As excited as I am to return to hot showers, clothes dryers, and dishwashers, I'm gonna miss my tica mom, my little metal closet, my morning fruit and coffee, and the little old lady I walk past every morning who smiles at me with no teeth. I'm going to miss our weekends in the jungle, or at the beach. I'm going to miss my new friends, my commute to school, and the hot chocolate my mom makes with cheese. I am so grateful for how welcoming this country was to me, and the friends it gave me. I am grateful for the new friends I have returning to NAU with me, and I am grateful for the second family I have living here in this little house. I'm grateful for my life and every

passing moment, I'm grateful to have had something so wonderful it hurts to say goodbye, and also grateful to have a family so wonderful I can look forward to coming home.